Our Everyday Gravy

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the carrot, celery, and onion until the pieces are very small.
If you don't have a food processor, you can finely grate the veggies using a cheese grater. Or with a good chef knife finely chop them.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring often, until they are deeply golden and fragrant, about 8–10 minutes.
I like to use a small dutch oven for this.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns a rich golden brown—about 5 minutes.
Slowly pour in both broths, whisking to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy is thickened and reduced to about 3 cups. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
When I make this, I cook the vegetables long enough that they practically melt into the gravy, so there’s no need to strain—it comes out perfectly smooth every time.
Discard the solids (if straining), taste and season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.